Iran striker Ghoochannejhad joins Charlton

TEHRAN, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- The UK's Charlton soccer club has signed Iran international striker Reza Ghoochannejhad from Standard Liege for an undisclosed fee, Tehran Times daily reported on Saturday.

The 26-year-old, who has scored eight goals in 10 appearances for Iran, has put pen to paper on a two-and-a-half-year contract.

Charlton manager Chris Powell said "He (Ghoochannejhad) has scored goals at different levels in Belgium and Holland."

"He has signed as a permanent and he comes into the stable of strikers. We haven't scored enough goals this season and we have to boost that area," Powell said, adding that "He is hard-working and he likes to get in the areas to score goals, so we need him to do that straight away."

"He has got pace and wins fouls, which you want to happen - especially in the attacking third. He has decent link-up play, but he wants to get in the box and in that regard you have to give him the service and create more chances," Charlton manager was quoted as saying.